Les Rallizes Denudes

Japan has always played host to bands that have found a much larger following outside their own country then in their own, and the same holds true for Les Rallizes Denudes, a cult psychedelic group from Osaka.

The band relies heavily on distorted guitar and occasionally mysterious japanese lyrics. Well of course they're mysterious, they're Japanese.

Once you get to know a little more about the band, the more intriguing they become. In their original form in 1967, they were strongly connected with far left wing politics, and reguraly played at protest rallies, apparently at one point even overtaking a junior high school's yard and playing loud music while handing out fliers promoting Che Guevera, Lenin, and Nietzsche. It is also thought that lead guitarist/vocalist Mizutani Takashi had connections with 1970 hijacking of an airliner from Japan to North Korea by the Japanese Red Army.

More importantly though, LRD makes a powerful statement with its music. Its loud and distorted sound not only draws you in, but keeps you interested with its drifting sound.

They are often compared the The Velvet Underground, for reasons I can't seem to figure out.

Anyways, here are some downloads, because you can't go to the record store and buy any of thier stuff, and you'd have a pretty tough time finding it on ebay for cheap too.

Mizutani:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=PC2ADRS5